The present invention is directed to a special effect device and, in particular, to a device for producing a simulated fire or flame special effect.
The use of a simulated fire or flame is desirable in many applications. For instance, in many theme park attractions (e.g., volcano, battle scene and disaster scenes), the use of a simulated flame or fire is preferred relative to a real flame or fire for a number of reasons. To elaborate, a real flame or fire must typically be located a substantial distance from the audience to prevent members of the audience from getting burned. Further, with respect to attractions that are located indoors, a real flame or fire produces heat and smoke that typically require additional air conditioning and ventilation. In contrast, several types of simulated flame or fire effects can be located close to an audience and do not typically impose the air conditioning and ventilation requirements of a real flame or fire.
There are many types of devices for producing simulated flames or fire. For example, one type of device blows strips of colored material, such as silk, up into the air and shines an appropriately colored light onto the strips. From a distance, these devices provide a reasonably convincing simulated flame or fire. At the other end of the spectrum are devices that provide a television or video monitor with a signal of a pre-recorded fire or flame. Such devices are impractical in theme park applications that require a flame or fire that extends over a distance that is greater than the typical video monitor or television. Yet a further type of device involves the use of a screen of atomized water and the projection of an image or light on the screen that creates the illusion of a flame or fire.
The present invention is directed to a special effect device for producing a simulated flame or fire effect. In one embodiment, the special effect device comprises a console for producing a curtain of steam, which is probably more accurately characterized as a fog, adjacent to an outlet slot or port of a housing. The device further comprises an air modulator for producing a stream of air that is used to vary or modulate the curtain of steam produced by the console. The rising steam in the curtain of steam and the modulation of the curtain of steam closely mimics the dynamic action of an actual flame or fire. The special effect device further comprises lighting that directs a flood of appropriately colored light onto the modulated or undulating curtain of steam. The interaction of the flood of light with the moving curtain of steam yields a simulated flame or fire effect.
In one embodiment, the console comprises a steam manifold that contributes to the production of a curtain of steam with a substantially uniform or desired steam density. In one embodiment, the steam manifold has an elongated body with multiple output ports distributed along the length of the elongated body so that a curtain of steam is produced adjacent to the outlet slot for substantially the length of the console. The steam manifold further comprises an inlet port for receiving steam that is located between the ends of the elongated body. Locating the inlet port in this manner permits several such consoles to be placed end-to-end and, because each console is producing a curtain of steam for substantially the length of the console, a curtain of steam is produced over the extent of the consoles that has a uniform or desired steam density. In contrast, if consoles were utilized in which the steam manifold of one console had to be connected to the steam manifold of the next console by a coupler located between the consoles, there would likely be significant gaps between the curtains of steam produced by each console, thereby preventing a uniform or desired steam density from being achieved over the extent of the consoles. Further, even if a string of consoles could be coupled together so as to eliminate or substantially reduce any gaps in the resulting steam curtain, the ability to achieve a uniform or desired steam density over the extent of the string of consoles is facilitated by locating the inlet port for the steam manifold between the ends of the elongated body of the manifold. To elaborate, if the inlet port was not located between the ends of the elongated body of the manifold, a string of consoles would be coupled to one another and steam would be fed into the string of consoles from one or both of the consoles at the end of the string. In such a configuration, the pressure drop along the length of the string would have to be taken into account to achieve a uniform or desired steam density along the length of the string. This significantly complicates the design of a console, i.e., the need to take into account the effect of the other consoles in a string of consoles. In contrast, by placing an inlet port between the ends of the elongated body of the steam manifold, at least for consoles that are not the end consoles of a string, consoles can be independently designed to produce a uniform or desired steam density without having to take into account the effect of other consoles that are to be in a string of consoles.
In another embodiment, a steam manifold is provided that contributes to the production of a steam curtain with a substantially uniform or desired steam density. The manifold comprises an elongated hollow body with an inlet port for receiving steam and an outlet structure that extends over at least a portion of the length of the hollow body and allows steam to exit with a substantially uniform or desired density. In one embodiment, the outlet structure comprises holes in the elongated body of the manifold that are spaced from one another and/or of a size such that a profile of the resistance to steam exiting from the elongated body decreases with increasing distance from the inlet port. For example, if the inlet port is located at the mid-point of the elongated body, one possible outlet structure has two sets of holes extending in opposite directions from the mid-point of the elongated body with each set of holes having holes that are evenly spaced form one another, circular in shape, and increasing in diameter the further a hole is located from the inlet port.
Another embodiment of the special effect device includes a console for producing a relatively tall curtain of steam, which allows a fire of flame illusion to be produced over a broad range of heights. In one embodiment, the console comprises a housing with an outlet slot or port for venting the steam that produces the curtain or screen of steam. A steam manifold located within the housing employs an outlet structure that presents a relatively low resistance to the flow of steam. As a consequence, the outlet structure of the manifold contributes to the height of the curtain of steam produced adjacent to the outlet port of the housing when the special effect device is in operation. In one embodiment, the steam manifold comprises an elongated body and the outlet structure is a series of holes located between the ends of the elongated body. The holes present a relatively low resistance to the flow of steam when compared to fan nozzles. To elaborate, fan nozzles force any steam passing through the nozzle to traverse a 90 degree turn that reduces the velocity of the steam exiting the nozzle. This reduction in velocity means that the fan nozzle exhibits or is characterized by a relatively high resistance to the flow of steam. A hole or other outlet structure does not require the steam to make a 90 degree turn. Consequently, the steam exits the outlet port of the housing at a higher velocity.
In a further embodiment, the console comprises a housing with air entrainment holes that contribute to the density of the curtain of steam produced adjacent to the outlet slot of the housing during operation. By producing a denser curtain of steam, the visibility of the resulting fire effect is improved or enhanced. The air entrainment holes are located below the outlet structure of a steam manifold located within the housing. In one embodiment, the air entrainment holes are located as far below the outlet structure of the steam manifold as possible.
In yet another embodiment, a special effect device is provided for producing a simulated flame or fire effect that utilizes theatrical smoke to produce the effect. Theatrical smoke is atomized glycol or mineral oil that is dispersed into the air and remains suspended in the air for a certain amount of time. Theatrical smoke, unlike steam, does not naturally rise. Consequently, theatrical smoke is commonly used to create xe2x80x9cground fogsxe2x80x9d in theatrical productions. In one embodiment, the device comprises a structure for producing a curtain of theatrical smoke. The device is further comprised of an air modulator for producing a stream of air that modulates the curtain of theatrical smoke. Also comprising the device is lighting that operates to direct a flood of light onto the modulated curtain of theatrical smoke.
In a further embodiment, the theatrical smoke-based special effect device comprises a housing with an outlet port that communicates with the ambient atmosphere. The device further comprises a structure for establishing a flow of gas (typically, air) within the housing that is capable of transporting theatrical smoke, which does not naturally rise like steam, to the outlet port and sufficiently above the outlet port to create a curtain of theatrical smoke on which the illusion of a flame or fire can be created. Also comprising the device is a theatrical smoke emission manifold that is substantially located within the housing and further located so as to be disposed within the flow of gas, when the device is in operation. The device further comprises an air modulator and lighting that respectively modulate the curtain of theatrical smoke and light the modulated curtain of theatrical smoke to achieve the simulated flame effect.
Another embodiment of the theatrical smoke-based special effect device comprises a housing with an interior volume. The interior volume is comprised of a chamber and a slot that extends between a slot/chamber junction and an outlet port that communicates with the ambient atmosphere. The device is further comprised of a smoke emission manifold and a gas emission manifold that are both substantially located within the interior volume. The device further comprises an air modulator and lighting that respectively modulate the curtain of theatrical smoke and light the modulated curtain of theatrical smoke to achieve the simulated flame effect. In one embodiment, the smoke emission manifold is located between the outlet port of the slot and the gas emission manifold. In yet a further embodiment, the smoke emission manifold is located between the slot/chamber junction and the gas emission manifold. Yet another embodiment locates the smoke emission manifold so that the manifold cooperates with the housing to define one or more passageways for the flow of gas from the chamber to the outlet port.
A further embodiment of the theatrical smoke-based device comprises a housing, theatrical smoke and gas emission manifolds that are each substantially located within the housing, an air modulator, and a lighting system. Each of the manifolds comprises an inlet port that is located between the ends of the manifold. By locating the inlet ports in this manner, two or more devices can be cascaded together and used to produce a simulated flame or fire effect over substantially the entire length of the devices. In one embodiment, the inlet ports are located at or near the midpoints of the manifolds to facilitate the production of a substantially uniform curtain of theatrical smoke.
Yet another embodiment of the theatrical smoke-based device comprises a housing, theatrical smoke and gas emission manifold that are each substantially located within the housing, an air modulator, and a lighting system. The theatrical smoke manifold comprises a plurality of outlet ports for venting theatrical smoke and that present a desired resistance profile to the flow of theatrical smoke. Similarly, the gas emission manifold comprises a plurality of outlet ports for venting gas and that present a desired resistance profile to the flow of gas. In many cases, the resistance profiles are designed so as to produce a substantially uniform curtain of theatrical smoke.